Busan rides surging Chinese tourism wave

The number of Chinese visitors to Busan, South Korea's second-largest city, has been increasing rapidly as more travelers look for cultural immersion experiences.

Officials and industry experts said this has contributed to the growth of the local tourism sector.

"China is one of Busan's most important tourism markets, and the steady increase in Chinese visitors has played a key role in driving the unprecedented growth in international arrivals to the city," said Amy Lee, a marketing manager at the Busan Tourism Organization.

In the first half of this year, more than 2.42 million foreign travelers visited Busan, with nearly 20 percent coming from the Chinese mainland, according to municipal data released in July.

Arrivals from the Chinese mainland surged 90.7 percent year-on-year, making it one of the highest growth rates among all major source markets.

The increase is also significantly higher than the 27.1 percent rise in the number of Chinese tourists recorded nationwide during the same period.

Lee told China Daily that the rise in Chinese visitors to Busan can be attributed to several factors, including the expansion of cruise arrivals, the growing trend toward free, independent travel, and Busan's strong competitiveness in experiential tourism.

She said the expansion of direct flights and cruise ships between Busan and major Chinese cities has strengthened people-to-people exchanges between the two countries while generating significant local economic benefits.

Although Busan may not be as well-known as the capital Seoul or Jeju Island, its well-established tourism infrastructure and natural resources have made it easy for independent Chinese travelers to explore, said Choi Boo-rim, vice-president of the Busan Tourism Association.

"Chinese tourists seem to be very interested in tourist experience facilities such as the Haeundae beach train and Songdo cable car," said Choi, who is also the CEO of Funtour, one of the few travel agencies in Busan specializing in the Chinese market.

Choi added that many of his clients also ask for experiential courses such as making South Korean-style rice wine and seaweed rice rolls.

While the traditional sources of revenue, such as commissions from duty-free shopping tours, may have declined, Choi said the broader economic impact has increased amid growing demand for hotels, rental cars, and attraction tickets.

Additionally, Choi said Chinese tourists go to hidden local eateries that even Busan locals are not familiar with.

Economic impact

"Across Busan, sales at well-known restaurants and attractions are indeed rising, but tourists are also turning to lesser-known areas, and that is having a huge economic impact," said Choi.

This was true for Chinese tourist An, 27, who focused on sightseeing during his three-day trip to Busan.

"I mainly came here to experience local life," said An, who gave only his surname. Hailing from Wuhan in Central China's Hubei province, An said he mainly planned his itinerary around enjoying Busan's seaside views and the relaxing lifestyle.

In Jagalchi Market, one of South Korea's largest seafood markets, merchants said the number of Chinese tourists has doubled this year. They also provide menus in Chinese and accept Chinese payment methods such as Alipay.

"About 40 percent of my customers are from China," Kang Yongchul, a merchant at Jagalchi Market, told China Daily.

Kang said his stall has attracted a growing number of Chinese tourists after receiving positive reviews on Chinese social media platforms such as RedNote and Dianping.

"They mostly buy king crab, abalone, and octopus. The average spending is around 100,000 won ($70)," Kang said.

Noting South Korea and China reached an agreement expanding flight rights earlier this year, Lee of the BTO said this will also mean more flights connecting Busan with Chinese cities.

"Looking ahead, we plan to expand our marketing efforts beyond our key markets such as Beijing and Shanghai to include China's emerging first-tier cities, allowing us to tap into new sources of demand," said Lee, adding that the organization will also strengthen tailored online and offline marketing that reflects the interests of Chinese visitors.

The BTO is also working closely with government and relevant agencies to ensure a safe and trustworthy travel environment for Chinese travelers, she said.

Apart from introducing experience-driven programs in Busan and surrounding regions to Chinese travelers, Choi of the Busan Tourism Association and Funtour said his company is also working to bring South Korean travelers to more cities in China as demand has been rising with increased direct flights and the ongoing visa-free policy.

"We are working with airlines to promote each city with new direct flights with Busan intensively," said Choi.